CH 91
Lucas rubbed his eyes and squinted at the clock on his nightstand. It was just past 6 in the morning. He groaned as he rolled over, hoping to catch a few more minutes of rest before his busy day began. But his peace was short-lived as his butler, Johnson, knocked on his door and interrupted his sleep.
“Mr. Lucas, there’s a lady here to see you,” Johnson said as he poked his head into the room.
Lucas groaned again, knowing exactly who the lady was. “Who is it?”
“Miss Emily, sir,” Johnson said, his voice full of disapproval.
Lucas sighed and rubbed his temples. “Tell her I’m not available right now. I have a busy day ahead.”
“I already did, sir,” Johnson said, “but she insists on seeing you. She said she won’t leave until she talks to you.”
Lucas cursed under his breath. He knew he had to deal with this now or it would only get worse. He got out of bed and slipped on a robe before following Johnson downstairs. When he reached the living room, he saw Emily sitting on the couch, surrounded by several suitcases and bags.
Lucas felt his heart sink as he looked at Emily and her bags. He knew that her sudden arrival could only mean trouble. He wondered how she had found out where he lived and why she had decided to come here of all places. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice strained.
“I told you on the phone, I’m here to stay,” Emily replied, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Lucas shook his head in disbelief. “You can’t just come here like this,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
“Why not?” Emily asked, her voice rising. “You’re never around, Lucas. You’re always with that other woman. I’m your wife, remember?”
Lucas sighed, feeling a headache coming on. He knew that arguing with Emily was pointless. She was stubborn and determined, and she would not leave until she got what she wanted. “Fine,” he said finally. “You can stay for a while, but don’t expect me to drop everything and spend time with you.”
Emily smiled triumphantly. “That’s all I ask,” she said. “Now, where’s my room?”
Lucas showed her to a guest room, feeling resentful and angry. He knew that Emily’s presence would only complicate things further, and he couldn’t help but wonder what Andrianne would think if she found out.
Meanwhile, Andrianne was holed up in Jackie’s guest room, feeling miserable and alone. She couldn’t believe that Lucas had lied to her about Emily. She had trusted him completely, and now she felt like a fool. She didn’t want to see anyone, not even Jackie, who had been nothing but kind to her.
She spent most of her time in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. She had no appetite and had lost weight in the past few days. Jackie tried to cheer her up, bringing her food and trying to engage her in conversation, but Andrianne was too lost in her own thoughts to respond.
Lucas tried to call her several times, but Andrianne ignored his calls. She didn’t want to speak to him, didn’t want to hear his excuses. She felt betrayed and hurt, and she didn’t know if she would ever be able to forgive him.
Days turned into weeks, and Emily continued to stay with Lucas. She seemed to relish her new role as his wife, taking charge of the house and ordering the staff around. Lucas tried to avoid her as much as possible, but she was always there, lurking in the background.
Andrianne, on the other hand, remained at Jackie’s, unwilling to return to the mansion. She had made no progress in her case against her father, and she felt like she was stuck in a limbo, unable to move forward.
One afternoon, as she was sitting in the garden, lost in thought, Jackie approached her. “Andrianne,” she said gently. “There’s someone here to see you.”
Andrianne looked up, surprised. She wasn’t expecting anyone. “Who is it?” she asked.
“It’s your father,” Jackie replied.
Andrianne’s heart skipped a beat. She had not seen her father since her mother’s funeral, and she had no desire to see him now. “I don’t want to see him,” she said firmly.
“He’s here to talk to you,” Jackie said. “He says he has something important to tell you.”
Andrianne hesitated for a moment, then stood up. “Fine,” she said. “I’ll see him.”
Jackie led her inside, where her father was waiting in the living room. He looked older and more tired than she remembered, and Andrianne felt a pang of guilt for avoiding him for so long. Her father stood up as she entered the room, a smile on his face, but Andrianne could see the worry in his eyes.
“Daddy,” she said, and her father pulled her into a tight hug. “I’m sorry for avoiding you. I’ve just been going through a lot.”
“I know, sweetie,” he said, his voice warm and comforting. “I’ve been worried sick about you. I’m glad you’re okay.”
They sat down on the couch, and Andrianne felt a lump form in her throat. She didn’t know where to start.
“Daddy, I need to talk to you about mom,” she began, her voice shaky.
“I know, sweetie,” her father said, his voice soft. “I’ve been waiting for you to come to me.”
Andrianne felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe her father was ready to take responsibility for what had happened to her mother.
“I want to sue you for what you did to her,” she said, her voice growing stronger.
Her father’s face darkened. “I understand how you feel, Andrianne,” he said. “But I didn’t do anything wrong. Your mother’s death was a tragic accident.”
Andrianne felt her anger rise. How could he deny what he had done? “You were drunk, Daddy!” she yelled. “You killed her!”
Her father’s face crumpled, and he buried his face in his hands. “I know,” he said, his voice muffled. “I know I made a mistake. I’m so sorry, Andrianne. I’ll do anything to make it up to you.”
Andrianne felt a flicker of hope. Maybe her father was finally ready to make things right.
“What can you do, Daddy?” she asked, her voice softening.
“I’ll sell the company,” he said, his voice strong. “I’ll give all the money to charity. I’ll do whatever it takes to make up for what I’ve done.”
Andrianne felt a tear roll down her cheek. Maybe there was hope for her family after all.